The cover SU(2) SO(3) and related topics

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1 The cover SU(2) SO(3) and related topics Iordan Ganev December 2011 Abstract The subgroup U of unit quaternions is isomorphic to SU(2) and is a double cover of SO(3). This allows a simple computation of the fundamental group of SO(n). We also show how SU(2) SU(2) is a double cover of SO(4). Finally, we argue that O(4) is generated by the left and right multiplication maps together with quaternionic conjugation. 1 A brief review of the quaternions H Let H be the free R-module on the set {1, i, j, k}. Therefore, H is a four-dimensional vector space in which an arbitrary element x can be written as x = a + bi + cj + dk for some real numbers a, b, c, and d. Define an algebra structure on H by extending linearly the multiplication of the finite group of quaternions Q 8 = {±1, ±i, ±j, ±k}. By a slight abuse of terminology, elements of H are called quaternions. The conjugate of an element x = a + bi + cj + dk of H is defined as x = a bi cj dk, and the map x x x defines a norm on H. The subspace ImH of purely imaginary quaternions is the subspace with a = 0. The unit sphere in H, i.e. the unit quaternions, forms a multiplicative group, denoted U, that is diffeomorphic to S 3. Lemma 1. The center of H is Span{1}. Proof. It is clear that Span{1} is contained in the center since the center of Q 8 is {±1}. Suppose x = a + bi + cj + dk is in the center. Then xi = ix implies that ai b ck + dj = ai b + ck dj, so c = d = 0 and x = a + bi. Now, xj = jx implies that Hence b = 0 and x = a Span{1}. aj + bk = aj bk. 1

2 2 U SU(2) We argue that, as Lie groups, U is isomorphic to the special unitary group SU(2). For each g U, there is a map This map is R-linear since H R 4 H R 4 x gx. the elements of Span{1}, which are the scalars in this case, are in the center of H, and multiplication distributes over addition in the ring H. Moreover, the map is an isometry by the multiplicativity of the norm: gx = g x = x for any g U and x H. Hence U acts by isometries on R 4 by left multiplication. An identical argument confirms that right multiplication defines an action by isometries of U on R 4. Let R i : H H denote right multiplication by i. Then (R i ) 2 = Id. Define a nondegenerate symmetric bilinear form on H as B(a + bi + cj + dk, x + yi + zj + wk) = ax + by + cz + dw. The norm defined above on H is the same as the norm induced by B. A short calculation shows that B(R i (v), w) = B(v, R i (w)) for any v, w H. The maps R i and B are enough to define a complex vector space structure with a Hermitian form on H. Specifically, a+bi C acts as (a + bi) v = a v + b (R i (v)) = av + b(iv), and the Hermitian form H is defined as H(v, w) = B(v, w) + i ω(v, w) where ω(v, w) := B(R i (v), w) is a skew-symmetric nondegenerate bilinear form (called a symplectic form). In particular, ω(v, v) = 0 for all v H, and the norm induced by H is equal to the norm on H defined above: v H = H(v, v) = B(v, v) = a 2 + b 2 + c 2 + d 2 = v. Since H is a 2-dimensional complex vector space, the group SU(2) can be identified with the norm-preserving transformations of H. Each element g of U defines a such transformation by the left multiplication map L g. Identifying L g with g, we see that U embeds as a subgroup in SU(2). Both are connected 3-dimensional Lie groups, so U is isomorphic to SU(2). Here s another way to see the isomorphism. Recall that SU(2) is the set of 2 by 2 matrices A over C with ĀT A = I with determinant 1. A standard argument shows the first 2

3 equality below, and the rest follow: a b SU(2) = { : a, b C, a 2 + b 2 = 1} b ā x + iy u + iv = { : x, y, u, v R, x 2 + y 2 + u 2 + v 2 = 1} u + iv x iy 1 0 i i = {x + y + u + v : i 1 0 i 0 x, y, u, v R, x 2 + y 2 + u 2 + v 2 = 1} A generic element x = a + bi + cj + dk of H can be written as x = (a + bi) + (c + di)j. This produces a decomposition H = C Cj C 2. Since j 2 = 1, this defines a complex structure on H. With this decomposition in mind, the elements 1,i, j, and k act on the right as 1 0 i i 1 : i : j : k : i 1 0 i 0 These identifications reveal the isomorphism U SU(2). 3 The cover SU(2) SO(3) We will make use of the following lemma, which is proven assuming results from Introduction to Smooth Manifolds by John Lee. Lemma 2. Suppose f : G H is a map of Lie groups of the same dimension, with H connected. If the kernel of f is discrete, then f is a covering map. Proof. As a Lie group homomorphism, f has constant rank. The rank is equal to the codimension of the kernel, which in this case is dim G 0 = dim G = dim H. Hence f has full rank and is in particular a local diffeomorphism. Therefore, a neighborhood of the identity in G maps diffeomorphically to a neighborhood of the identity of H. The connectivity of H implies that H is generated by any open neighborhood of the identity. Consequently, f is surjective. Since the kernel is discrete, f must be a covering map. Recall that an R-algebra endomorphism of H is a ring homomorphism from H to itself that fixes 1. Let Aut(H) denote the invertible R-algebra endomorphisms of H. Then Aut(H) is a closed subgroup of GL(H) GL 4 R, hence a Lie group. There is a Lie group homomorphism H {0} Aut(H) g (x gxg 1 ) whose kernel is the center Z(H) of H. Observe that each g acts by isometries since gxg 1 = g x g 1 = gg 1 x = x for any x, g H. Each g fixes 1, hence fixes 1 = {x H : B(1, x)} = {a + bi + cj + dk H : a = 0} = Im H 3

4 as well. Thus each g acts my isometries fixing 0 on Im H. Identifying Im H with R 3, we see that the homomorphism above induces a map H {0} O(3). The codomain can be refined to special orthogonal group SO(3) since H {0} is connected. We restrict this map to U to obtain a Lie group homomorphism φ : U SO(3) whose kernel is the discrete subgroup Z(H) U = {±1}. Using the isomorphism of the previous section and Lemma 2, it follows that φ : SU(2) SO(3) is a 2-fold covering map. Note that SU(2) is simply connected since SU(2) U is diffeomorphic to S 3. The 2-fold cover φ implies that π 1 (SO(3)) = Z/2. In fact, SO(3) is diffeomorphic to RP 3. 4 The fundamental group of SO(n) Th orthogonal group SO(2) consists of rotations about the origin in R 2 ; it is therefore isomorphic to the circle S 1 and its fundamental group is Z. For any n, SO(n) acts transitively on S n 1 with stabilizer SO(n 1). Hence, there is a fibration SO(n 1) SO(n) S n 1 with associated long exact sequence in homotopy given by π 2 (S n 1 ) π 1 (SO(n 1)) π 1 (SO(n)) π 1 (S n 1 ) 1. For n 4, the homotopy group π 2 (S n 1 ) is trivial, so we obtain an isomorphism π 1 (SO(n 1)) π 1 (SO(n)). Since SO(3) = Z/2, by induction we conclude that { Z if n = 2 π 1 (SO(n)) = Z/2 if n 3. 5 The cover SU(2) SU(2) SO(4) For each pair (g, h) U U, there is a map on H R 4 defined by x gxh. An argument similar to that in part (c) shows that each such map is R-linear and norm-preserving, hence an element of SO(4). Since U U is connected, we obtain a map φ : U U SO(4) (g, h) (x gxh). 4

5 It is easy to check that this is a Lie group homomorphism. We will show that the kernel of φ is the discrete subgroup {(1, 1), ( 1, 1)}. By Lemma 2, it will follow that φ is a 2-fold covering map. If gxh = x for all x H, then, in particular, gh = g1h = 1, so h = g 1. From previous work, we know that x = gxg 1 for all x H if and only if g {±1}. Hence either g = 1 and h = g 1 = 1 or g = 1 and h = g 1 = 1. 6 Generators for O(4) The last result we show is that right and left multiplication together with quaternionic conjugation generate O(4). The quaternionic conjugation map c : x x is an orientationreversing orthogonal transformation of H R 4 since it involves 3 reflections. Hence c is not in SO(4), but the other component of O(4). Let L c : O(4) O(4) be left multiplication by c, so L c (f) = c f. Then, by standard Lie group arguments, L c is a diffeomorphism taking the connected component of the identity diffeomorphically to the connected component of c. In this case, L c takes SO(4) diffeomorphically to the component O(4) \ SO(4). Since the map φ from above is a covering map of SO(4), we observe that L c φ : U U O(4) \ SO(4) is also a covering map. To summarize, the map defined by ψ : U U Z/2 O(4) (g, h, i) (x c i (gxh)) is a covering map of O(4). Hence right and left multiplication together with quaternionic conjugation generate O(4). 5

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